Front-fork crown for velocipedes.



N0.-54|,858. Patented Ian. 23, I900. .1. B. HALIFAX.

FRONT FORK CROWN FDR VELOOIPEDES.

(Applicqtion filed May 22, 1899.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JOHN B. HALIFAX, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE GEO. L. THOMPSONMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF ILLINOIS.

FRONT-FORK CROWN FOR VELOCIPEDES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters. Patent No. 641,858, dated January23, 1900.

Application filed May 22, 1899. Serial No. 717,732. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN B. HALIFAX, of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Front-Fork Crowns for Velocipedes, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in stamped sheet-metal parts forbicycles,and refers more specifically to an improved construction infront or steering fork crowns of the arched type.

The object of the invention is to provide a construction which is builtup of a number of stamped parts of simple and economical constructionand of such form as to be capable of being readily assembled and whichwhen assembled form a'crown of exceedingly strong construction andhaving a neat and finished appearance.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, and will be readilyunderstood from the following description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 is a view in front elevation ofa fork-crown embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an axial sectional Viewof the same, taken in the plane of the fork-arms. Fig. 3 is a centralvertical sectional view taken at right angles to the fork-arms. Fig. 4is a side elevation of the outer shell or principal member when partlyformed. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the inner reinforcement which formsthe fork-nipples. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the outer shell in itspartly-formed state with the inner reinforcements inserted in readinessfor the final forming together of the parts.

Referring to said drawings, A designates the outer shell, which in theparticular in stance illustrated herein is approximately semicircular orsemi-oval in its main part, constituting the arms a, and is provided atthe juncture of said arms with an integral nipple or stem a, adapted totelescope within the steering-head in the usual manner. The part A isdrawn or struck up by means of suitable dies from a single sheet-metalblank of suitable shape. In the formation of said parts the nipple a isstruck up from the center of the blank by means of one or more diessuitably shaped to form at the same time a cylindric base portion ta theupper end of which forms an annular shoulder or supporting-surface a,surrounding the base of the nipple and extending approximately at rightangles therefrom. The arm portions a of the blank are only partiallycompleted before the several parts constituting the entire crown, areassembled-that is to say, the external halves of the arms, consideredwith reference to the outer and inner halves of the fork-arms arebrought into exact shape, or approximately so, while those portions a ofthe blank which subsequently become the inner sides of the crown-armsare left partly open in the position in which they are forced by thedie, which imparts the form to the outer parts ofthe crown, the shape ofthis member at this stage being shown most clearly in Figs. 4 and 6.

Within the nipple a, is inserted a lining or reinforcement B, which hasthe exact form of the interior of the nipple and is provided also with aradially-'outturned portion b,which underlies and reinforces thesupporting shoulder a hereinbet'ore referred to, this rein forcementbeing driven or forced into place by means of a suitable die, so as toimpart the utmost rigidity to those parts of which it forms the lining.

C designates the member which forms the main reinforcement of the crown,and which is also provided with portions 0, arranged to protrude fromthe ends of the crown-arms to form nipples to receive the fork-arms. Inorder to impart strength to the crown, this member is made in the formof a continuous U-shaped part arranged to extend entirely through andfit accurately within the crownarms a, and is provided at its centerwith an integral nipple or stem 0, the upper end of which is slightlyreduced, as indicated at c", and arranged to telescope or project ashort distance within the lower end of the stem a. (See Fig. 2.) At thejuncture of the reduced portion with the larger portion of the nipple anannular shoulder a is formed,which abuts against the lower end of thereinforcement B, therebypositively limiting the extent to which saidparts may be telescoped together and causing the nipple to form aperfect truss between the stem of the crown and the inner or lower sideof the latter. The reinforcement C is semicircular in cross-sectionthroughout the principal part of its length within the crown-arms, beingformed to fit against the inside halves of said arms. The end portionsof said member, however, which form the nipples for the reception of thefork-arms, are circumferentially complete throughout the length of theprotruding portions and for a short distance within the crown-arms, asindicated clearly in Fig. 2, the edges of the blank being preferablyarranged to meet along the center of the outer side of the nipple, asindicated at 0 The member C having been completely formed, as describedand as shown in Fig. 5, is inserted and forced into place within theouter shell, and the portions a of the latter which are to form theinner sides of the crown-arms are thereafter folded or formed around thenipples c, the outer shellblank being of such shape that the edges ofthe same exactly meet around said nipples, forming a seam or joint of,extending along the center of the inner side of the crown. This lastoperation locks all of the parts rigidly together and in such mannerthat each part contributes to strengthen and reinforce the structure asa whole.

The seams of the nipples c, the seam 0 along the inner side of thecrown, and the interstices between the parts are subsequently brazed orotherwise united, and it is to be noted that the parts are so assembledthat the spelter will flow into all of the joints and unite the partsvery perfectly. In order that the spelter may reach the interior of thenipple c and flow thence in between the main reinforcement and thecrown-arms in case the crown be immersed in the spelter right side up, aperforation c is formed in the top of said nipple.

It will be seen from the foregoing that a construction embodying myinvention can be very economically constructed, that it is extremelystrong and rigid without being unnecessarily heavy, and is withal ofneat and graceful appearance.

I claim as my invention- 1. Asheet-metalfork-crown, comprising an outershell provided with hollow arms having a seam extending longitudinallythroughout the length of both and an integral stem drawn out from aportion of the blank untraversed by said seam and a reinforcementinserted in said outer shell and extending through both crown-arms andprotruding through the latter to form fork-nipples, said reinforcementbeing provided at its center with an integral nipple extending up intothe stem of the outer shell and fitting the interior thereof.

2. A-sheet-metal fork-crown comprising an outer shell provided withhollow arms having a seam extending longitudinally throughout the lengthof both arms and an integral stem drawn up from a portion of the blankuntraversed by said seam, a lining reinforcement fitting within saidstem and provided with a radially-'outturned portion fitting within thebase portion of the stem and a second main reinforcement inserted withinsaid outer shell and extending through both crown-arms, saidreinforcement being provided at each end with a fork-nipple arranged toprotude from the end of the crown-arm and being provided at its centerwith an integral nipple extending to and telescoping partly within thestem of the outer shell.

3. A fork-crown comprising an outer shell provided with hollow armshaving a seam extending longitudinally throughout the length of botharms along the inner sides of the latter and having an integral sterndrawn out at the juncture of the arms at the side opposite the seamsurrounded by an angular bearing supporting-surface, a liningreinforcement conformed to, and fitting within said stem and having aradial portion extending beneath the bearing supporting-surface, and asecond reinforcement inserted in said outer shell, having arms extendingthrough the crown-arms and protruding'from the latter to formforknipples and provided at its center with an integral nipple extendingto, and telescoping partly within, the lower end of the stem; saidreinforcement arms being made approximately semicircular incross-section throughout the principal part of their length within thecrown-arms and having circumferentially complete nipple portions,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aflix mysignature, in presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 17th day ofMay, A. D. 1899.

JOHN B. HALIFAX.

Witnesses:

RICHARD W. FRANCIS, ALBERT H. GRAVES.

